The purpose of this proposal is to develop an effective and efficient methodology for the capture and subsequent live maintenance in an onshore holding facility of the loliginid squid Loligo pealei, Loligo plei and Lolliguncula brevis. The specific goal is to have a continuous year-round supply of these squid species for use by investigators in neurobiology research. Achievement of these goals first requires the development and refinement of several means of capturing large numbers of live and undamaged squid and transporting them to shore. Secondly, we propose to improve our closed-system circular aquaria by the introduction of large shallow-depth squid raceways that have proven to be an efficient means for keeping large animals. We expect that these raceways will sustain a high-density population of live squids. Although we have succeeded in keeping adult individuals of all three loliginid squid species alive for weeks and months, we need to improve the quality of all aspects of our laboratory environment particularly as it applies to the rearing of juvenile squids. We have stressed in our proposal that the avoidance of fin damage is the single issue that must be considered in all aspects of this proposal. All three species of loliginid squid are found in the Gulf of Mexico offshore from Galveston Island throughout all months of the year, and they occur in sufficient number to be a source of adult animals for continuously restocking our laboratory colony. The Marine Biomedical Institute maintains two research vessels, which are equipped for trawling, jigging, and other methods of squid capture.